What we learned at 2018’s biggest mobile events

When it comes to epic industry announcements and events, the mobile industry’s digital calendar is packed with showcases that feature the likes of Apple, Samsung and Sony. 2018 has been no exception.

Looking back over the past 12 months, there have been several dominant themes at the most important mobile events, including major updates, innovative tech and UX. Here, we review what the biggest announcements mean for the industry and how they could shape and enhance your strategies in the new year.

WWDC 2018

The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is where we flock to see what innovations Apple have conceived over the past year. For those working on app development, iOS 12 was perhaps the biggest announcement to come out of the Californian meet.

As part of this major update, we can enjoy augmented reality, new and improved Siri and ARKit 2. The latter is a pioneering developing in VR, opening up a whole new world for those looking to immerse users in a virtual world.

If you create apps to support the Apple Watch, look into how you can tap into new features as watchOS 5 also caught our attention at WWDC.

According to Apple, machine learning models are the future when it comes to app integration. At the conference, the tech giant revealed its Core ML 2 feature. Using this framework, you can build and deploy AI into iOS-based apps, learn how users are interacting with your creation and respond accordingly.

Taking place at several venues across Europe and North America, these major tech summits feature enough conferences and announcements to fill up the notes section on your phone. It’s the place to see the latest advances in the app development industry.

Takeaways included the buzzwords you need to add to your new year digital vocab. These included ‘user first’, ‘push notification responsibility’ and ‘responsible location data usage’ – all pretty self-explanatory.

The summits also highlighted the importance of user experience, privacy and security for developers in 2019. Bear in mind that these buzzwords have been compiled from user feedback, so it’s important you take them on board when pulling together briefs and development plans.

Facebook’s and Instagram’s Stories features were also noted as an important development when it comes to digital content. The 24-hour snapshot is something that developers and brands can continue to experiment with and monetise. WhatsApp is also playing around with story features now, offering future advertising opportunities where there were perhaps none.

MWC 2018

The largest exhibit for mobile in the world, this year’s MWC (previously Mobile World Congress) was all about the biggest names in the industry unveiling new and exciting tech. The exhibition in Barcelona hosted a range of tech speakers and experts to discuss developments for next year.

Among the biggest announcements were Sony’s reveal of the new Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact handsets. The standard sized model features Sony’s powerful Snapdragon 845 processor and an 18:9 2,160 x 1,080 display – perfect for glossy gaming and immersive AR.

Nostalgia was also on the cards at MWC, as Nokia jumped on the success of its 3310 reveal last year with another throwback – the 8110. This model offers 4G and, of course, Snake.

Take advantage of these developments in 2019 to nail your new year strategy. As handsets and their features continue to progress, it opens the door for those who want to experiment, push the boundaries and create something truly standout.

Looking for further advice for your digital development strategy in 2019? Check out our expert blog on the Mubaloo website.